THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 123 



Bearded lAzdixd {Grummatophora barbata), and the White-streaked 

 Earless Lizard {Tympanocrpytis lineatiis) ; also four Lizards (in 

 spirits) from Mt. Stanley, North-Eastern Victoria. By Mr, G. A. 

 Keartland. — Eggs of 17 species of Water Birds, including the 

 Painted Snipe. By Mr. T. A. Forbes-Leith. — Case of Little 

 Falcons from Java ; ethnological photographs from India. By 

 Mr. G. Lyell, jun. — Specimens of Larva, Pupa, and Imago of 

 Butterfly {Pyrameis itea) ; specimens of Danais peiilia and Hetero- 

 nympha merope, showing locality differences. By Baron F. von 

 Mueller, K.C.M.G. — Three plants new for Victoria, viz., Cala- 

 denia cainisiaiia. Aster picridifoHus, and Calocephalus drummo7idii. 

 By Dr. Ralph. — Specimens under microscope in illustration of 

 paper. By Mr. J. Searle. — Insects collected at Tooradin ex- 

 cursion. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



NOTES FROM MALDEN ISLAND. 



By a. J. Campbell. 



(Read befoi-e the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, ^th September, 



1889.J 



As Maiden Island has a bearing with regard to the geographical 

 distribution of many Australian sea-birds, and as several of our 

 members have received skins and eggs from that remote quarter, 

 the following notes may be of interest, if not of value. The notes 

 are most kindly supplied especially for this club by Messrs. J. T. 

 Julian and Fred. J. Fox. 



Maiden Island is an integral part of the British Dominions, 

 situated in the mid Pacific in 4° 4' south latitude and 154° 58' 

 west longitude, or about 4,000 miles from Melbourne. The 

 island is of coral formation, only about six miles in diameter, and 

 enclosing completely a small muddy tidal lagoon. 



The rough coral pavements are covered with a rich deposit of 

 phosphoric guano, the accumulations of bird ordure of untold 

 ages. The deposits are of great commercial value, and have been 

 worked successfully for years by Messrs. Grice, Sumner and Co. 

 of this city. 



The island is gradually rising. This has been particularly 

 noticeable of late years by marked observations in the alteration 

 of the flooring levels of the dwellings. South of Maiden there 

 exists a volcanic axis, which may account for this land movement. 

 It has been estimated that since the island was first discovered in 

 1825 by Lord Byron, of H.M. frigate Blonde, and named in 

 honour of his first lieutenant, it has risen about three or four feet. 

 However, the island is generally low; the highest part does not 



